A Starry Night
by KJ Dreams
Summary: (Rated M for mature themes & future scenes) Lucy is a college student. She works part-time at a cafe called The Starry Night with Levy. They go clubbing and Lucy meets a group of rowdy boys. Suddenly, she's introduced to the members Fairy Tail Gym and is inducted as one of their fighters during their fight nights.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I don't own Fairy Tail. Chapter 2 will introduce Natsu and the boys. It got too long to put in one chapter.**

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Even with her combat training lessons, Lucy found herself huffing in exertion – the wall surrounding the Heartfilia estate was, indeed, taxing. _Damn, I thought I was in better shape than this…_ Lucy bit her bottom lip in frustration and pain. _The two weeks of house arrest really took their toll…_ The black fingerless gloves helped with the friction of the brick wall, but she knew she would have to purchase new ones once she was out…if she made it out. Lucy shook her head; she had to remain positive – not to mention focused. The sudden surge of activity and sound alerted Lucy that she had a few minutes before she would be found. Her father's bloody hounds would find her in no time once they were released; she renewed her efforts to scale the wall. Her raw fingers and broken nails were bleeding but she dismissed the thought – it wasn't life-threatening. It did make the scaling harder since the hot liquid acted as a lubricant. The howls of the hounds filled the estate as Lucy finally threw a leg over the wall. She glanced at her home – no, her prison – and sent a private thanks to her loyal servants who had stalled and created diversions for her escape. She stared at the large window on the first floor of the building; a cold hand of terror gripped at her throat as her mind insisted on seeing her father's shadow in the window. Were it not for her steady breathing, Lucy might have remained frozen with fear. _Breathe in and out: In…out…In…out._ Finally getting a hold of herself again, Lucy jumped to the other side – to life beyond the walls of her prison, to freedom, to adventure.

 **XX**

Lucy sighed and tied her work apron around her waist. She had been rejected from her last internship application and it…well, to put it simply, sucked. It was difficult to land the internships because she lacked any previous work and educational experience. She had no high school transcripts and she was attending the local community college. She collected her long blonde hair into a ponytail and put on her blue visor. Lucy shook her head and smacked her cheeks, "You're Lucy Philia. You will be a successful writer and professor."

She balled her hand into a fist and whispered, "You've got this," only to have her head drop in defeat a few seconds later.

Her pride and soul had taken a hit with her recent failures, but Lucy believed that what was meant to happen would happen…or at least that's what she told herself during her pity parties. She only wished they would take a chance on her – she would learn quickly and be the best hard worker they had ever seen. There was no time to mope on it – her shift began in two minutes and she couldn't afford to lose her job.

Lucy worked at a café in downtown Magnolia called Starry Nights. It was named after the famous Van Gogh painting. Rumor had it that the owner of the café also owned the original painting itself. Overall, Lucy had to compliment the simplistic style of the café. It's color palette was, of course, inspired by the Starry Night's palette. It was a very modern café – with its high tables, outlets, and free wi-fi service. However, Lucy would argue it was the menu that retained customers. The highly affordable items were quality at its finest (for their price).

Lucy waved at Levy who was rushing to the staff room, "Stuck on a good chapter?"

Levy sent her the middle finger, "You know it."

Lucy's laughter was cut short by the bell ringing as the door opened, "Good morning and welcome to Starry Nights!" She automatically spit out, "What may I get you?"

The three males – rather handsome if Lucy admitted – approached the counter. The orange-haired male opened his mouth, "As beautiful as ever, Lucy! You remember me, of course, I was gone for a few months studying abroad in Europe and Africa," and Lucy wished his mouth had remained closed.

Nodding, Lucy brushed aside his flirtations, "Of course, Loke. How were the animals? Are you still determined to be a veterinarian?"

"More than ever. I have an internship opportunity for this upcoming summer – shadowing and working at an animal reserve in Africa. You know I'm such a sap for the big cats," Loke glowed, a small blush animating his face as he rambled about his passion and Lucy thought if it weren't for his shameless flirtations she would have been charmed by him.

Lucy's smile faltered for a moment at the mention of an internship, but she quickly hid it, saying, "I'm glad. When do you leave?"

"June twelfth." He grinned and extended his arms towards his company, "This is Gray and Lyon. They're friends from uni."

"Hi there," Lucy greeted them as they introduced themselves.

The raven-haired one sent a smirk and helpfully deflected Loke's flirtations, "Loke, let's order. We'll be late to class."

Lucy sent him a relieved smile and added, "You should try our sweet strawberry shakes. They're delicious – even more so when I prepare them!"

Loke vigorously agreed, "Yes! Lucy is the best," and with that they sat down to wait for their three strawberry shakes.

Levy finally walked in, whispering, "I didn't want to intrude. The raven-haired boy was definitely checking you out!"

Lucy laughed, "Levy, you think every guy is checking me out."

"They do! How could they not if you're so pretty, Lu?!" she huffed as she prepared coffee

Lucy patted Levy on the shoulder, "Well, I wish they'd do more than stare lewdly at my body. I prefer men who are interested in my thoughts and who I am as a person, you know?"

Levy made no comment and Lucy took the drinks out to Loke and his friends. Contradictory to Levy's observances and conjectures, Gray made no further comment directly towards Lucy. He indicated no interest beyond that of a customer and employee. There was a smidgen of disappointment, but Lucy accredited it because of Levy's comments not because she had any interest in him.

They left and that was the end of another possible "love interest" as Levy put it.

 **XX**

It was a quiet morning at the café – not that Lucy was surprised. She had just unlocked the door a few minutes ago. Levy was late per usual – not that Lucy minded signing her in – and was rushing to work at the very moment with her wet hair flying behind her. Lucy chuckled at the image and continued frosting the strawberry and lemon pastries. Assuming it was Levy, he didn't turn to face the counter when she heard the bell ring saying, "I already clocked you in."

"I must have forgotten I work here, because I didn't know I was working today," a male voice rang in the small café

Lucy smiled, a blush creeping along her face, "Can't say I'm surprised, Fullbuster."

Gray laughed, "Damn, Lucy. You really don't hold much regard for me, huh?"

"It's not – damn," Lucy stared at the foiled pastry, "I messed up frosting – Look." Lucy held out the lemon pastry towards Gray – the frosting dripping onto the counter below.

Gray frowned, "It looks fine to me. Overdid the frosting, but nonetheless edible."

"Edible but not acceptable for sale," Lucy countered, swiping it away from Gray's watering mouth and popping the pastry in her mouth. She giggled at Gray's disgruntled expression and handed him an extra lemon pastry, "It would be too cliché if you ate the pastry from my hand. I expect more from you."

"Fair enough."

Lucy moved to prepare Gray's usual; he had been coming every day at exactly 8:07 A.M. after she had teased him and accused him of being inconsistent. It had been seven weeks since he had first came to Starry Nights with Loke and Lyon. Lucy had forgotten about the raven-haired man until he came back a few days later at 8 A.M. He had a class at nine at the private university and he claimed he just couldn't get through the day without having a strawberry shake with extra ice in the morning so Lucy complied and awaited his visit although she wouldn't admit it. She enjoyed their times together – he had recently asked for her number and they had been texting frequently. He had quickly become her best friend (along with Levy), and she welcomed the support he always seemed to provide. It seemed both were happy where their relationship was now, so Lucy ignored the jabs from Levy poking fun at their "friendship".

After all, Lucy couldn't afford to forget her past. Getting involved with anyone was dangerous –if her father found her, her significant other would be threatened, and Lucy could not subject anyone to that.

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 **Please leave a review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: I don't own Fairy Tail. More at the end.**

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 ** _Hey, Lu. We're going clubbing tonight, wanna join?_**

Lucy took a moment to think, her hand twirling with her long blonde hair. She contemplated staying in and binge watching a series on Flix, and just as she typed out her response to Levy she received another text from Gray.

 ** _Philia, go and get out. You're just sulking – wrapped up in blankets on your couch, huh?_**

Lucy puffed out her cheeks the heat of her blush creeping up again, "Damn you, Gray." She replied to him: _How do you know?_

 ** _It's your habit to hole yourself up after being rejected for a few hours and then come back smiling like nothing happened. Even though we just text, I noticed._**

It was a beautiful thing – friendship. Lucy was blessed to have both Levy and Gray. She sniffled wiping away her tears.

 _OK, you got me. Thanks. HOWEVER, I was planning on going out tonight! Tch._

Lucy sent Levy a confirmation and hurried to get ready. She hadn't ever gone to a club and she had to search up on Finterest club attire. She stared at her phone screen –eyebrows scrunched up – and wondered what her father would have said. She laughed, "This is perfect!" Her phone screen lit up:

 ** _Go wild._**

She smiled and sent Gray a farewell. Tonight was going to be exciting.

 **XX**

Levy had picked Lucy up at her apartment in her small blue car and they had gone to pick up the rest of the girls. They were on their way to pick up Cana, a brown-haired carefree person, who worked part-time as a fortune teller. She was pretty skilled at reading people. She also happened to love Lucy's breasts, fondling them whenever she saw her. It still took her by surprise each time.

"What is it?" Lucy demanded after Levy had sent her yet another side glance without saying anything.

Levy blushed, "It's just…" she looked forward, "YOU'RE SO HOT, LU!"

Lucy deadpanned, "What."

"Your outfit compliments you so much, even the color! It's the first time I've seen you wear something so daring and it's like, 'Holy shit my best friend is gorgeous.'" She gushed

Now it was Lucy's turn to blush, "Is it too much?" She glanced at her skin-tight tanned dress.

"NO! It's perfect! You're going to have so much fun. The girls really love to club." Levy chuckled, failing to mention the last time that they had gone clubbing Erza had gotten into a brawl and won…but they had been kicked out.

"I sure hope so," Lucy replied as they waited for Cana to enter the car.

Almost immediately, Cana had Lucy's breasts in her hands, purring, "Ah, Lucy, I've missed you."

"I missed you, too, Cana." Lucy patted Cana's hair, and gently removed Cana's hands from her body

They caught up with each other on their way to Erza's apartment which happened to be a few minutes away from Blue Pegasus – the club – so Levy parked the car there. Since Levy didn't like to drink she was the designated driver more often than not. Erza Scarlett was an arms master – owner of an antique weapons store and gym. They walked to the club chatting happily about their lives with some teasing.

Lucy stared apprehensively at the building built extravagantly for a club. Standing at three stories tall, Blue Pegasus echoed the baroque style from Europe with a large gold plated heart engraved with its name. Before Lucy could say anything, they were ushered inside in front of the line. She sent a questioning look to Levy who shrugged, "We're buds with the workers."

Which also explained why they hadn't been banned after Erza's brawl; however, Lucy didn't need to know that…yet. Levy had made the girls promised to be on their best behavior to not ruin Lucy's first night out.

Lucy stared in awe at the high-tech club – a complete 180 to its outside appearance. Everyone was dressed similarly to the girls and Lucy breathed a sigh of relief. She had at least gotten the attire correct. She followed Levy to the bar – wondering if her exposure to wines would have built her some tolerance to alcohol. She didn't pay attention to what Levy ordered; instead, she was captivated by the bright lights and pounding music. People were gathered on the dancefloor their bodies mingling as they moved to the music. The smell of sweat hit Lucy's nostrils and she wrinkled her nose in distaste until she was desensitized to it. Levy handed her a drink, "Drink up, Lu! Don't worry, I'll be here watching everyone."

Looking at the sincerity in Levy's brown eyes, Lucy downed the drink – perhaps too quickly as she coughed afterwards. Levy patted her back, "Maybe go a bit slower, Lu."

Lucy nodded, still coughing, and tried to compose herself. She felt a warmth spread throughout her body and soon a smile was plastered on her face for no reason other than she was in good mood. She felt relaxed – something she hadn't felt ever since she had escaped from home so she asked for another drink. _Yeah, drinking is not the way to go, Lucy, but maybe just for this one night you can try being a normal partying college girl._

Even saints had their sinful indulgences…at times.

 **XX**

After two more drinks, Lucy was effectively drunk. She laughed with the girls at silly shit they'd do. They spent five minutes laughing over Erza's yelp of surprise when her childhood friend, Jellal sent her a text message after a long period of time of no contact. They said things like, "Erza's so cute," and "Erza's got a crush." And that would send them into another fit of howling. But, in actuality, the comments weren't that funny.

Then they hit the dancefloor moving to their own beat. They danced with one another – enjoying themselves until their feet hurt and they moved back to their table to rest for a few minutes. Lucy sat with her bare feet propped up on the opposite chair – it had been a long time since she had laughed freely like she had done this night. Levy nudged Lucy, "I'm going to head to the bathroom; come with me?" Lucy agreed, stretching her arms over her head – she did feel an urge to urinate. After telling the girls they'd be right back, they were off to the opposite side of the club.

They pushed through the sweaty crowd – Lucy cringing as she was jostled about and the effects of the alcohol started to wear off. Holding hands, Levy and Lucy had almost made it to the bathrooms when angry shouting erupted nearby. A group of males had begun to brawl right by the restrooms, and before Lucy could tell Levy maybe it was time to go, she was pushed to the ground by a flying pink-haired male.

"Lucy!" Levy yelled, but Lucy hardly heard her as she stared into a tuft of pink-hair. His weight crushed her and made it hard to breathe, but Lucy shoved him off with ease (she thanked her recent lifting at the gym for this). She gasped for air, clutching at her chest where the impact had been, "Watch it," she croaked.

The pink-haired male sat up, rubbing his forehead sheepishly, "Sorry!"

Lucy, annoyed, in pain, and needing to pee, irritably replied, "What the fuck."

The male, blushed, stood up and held his hand out to her, "Sorry, I was thrown by a stupid metal-head. I'm Natsu."

Lucy took his hand, standing up, "Lucy."

The male – Natsu – opened his mouth, but was interrupted by a group of people running up to them – Levy being one of them.

A tall dark-haired man apologized to Lucy, "My bad, bunny girl, Salamander, here, is more of a stick than I thought."

Lucy nodded, still rubbing the sore spot on her chest, "Don't be fighting in clubs. Take it outside," she admonished.

"Lucy?" Another male voice rang.

Lucy sharply looked up spotting Gray in the back, "Gray?"

Natsu intervened, "You know the ice princess," but both Gray and Lucy ignored him. Gray was astounded to find Lucy outside the café…at a club at that. Lucy was embarrassed to be found inebriated and in such a state. She self-consciously pulled her tan dress down and patted down her hair, "Fullbuster, I can't say I'm surprised to find you here."

Gray stared at Lucy for a moment, noting her faint blush, and her tapping fingers on her thigh. Concluding that Lucy was trying to appear unfazed, he played along, "The café finally bored, ya, didn't it?"

They both smiled – it seemed their friendship was still very intact no matter the circumstance. Natsu, not one to be ignored, pushed his face into Lucy's view, "How do you know the ice-breath?"

Lucy, who could no longer ignore the pinkie, said, "He's a friend I met at work. Who are _you_?" She then questioned him, because he was rather infuriating. He replied, "I'm Natsu Dragneel. We all go to the same university."

At his friendly reply, Lucy took a moment to actually look at Natsu. He was dressed casually – an open red oxford shirt with a white underneath with blue jeans. What was particular to him was the white scarf wrapped around his forehead, pushing his pink locks against his skin. He was rather cute. She hadn't noticed she had been staring at him until his nose was touching hers, "Are you feeling okay?" He had removed his scarf and had pressed his forehead against hers, "You're a bit hot."

Lucy stared into his onyx eyes for a moment before reacting. Startled, she kicked Natsu away, yelling, "Too close!"

Gray, who had witnessed the whole event, laughed, "He has a problem with personal space boundaries. Way to teach him, Lucy."

Brought back to reality, Lucy smiled and asked, "Where's Levy?"

Gray pointed behind him, "Snuggled up against Gajeel." And sure enough Levy was seated next to Gajeel, avidly reading a notebook of his as he watched her. No wonder the whole exchange had been really just between Gray, Natsu and Lucy. Lucy giggled, "Think they're a thing?"

"If they aren't now, they will be."

Lucy stood next to Gray and laughed, "She's always been the one to talk about love."

Gray glanced at Lucy smiling, and muttered, "Yeah, love comes unexpectedly, doesn't it?"

"Sometimes," was all she said.

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 **Thanks for the follows and favorites! I'm updating today because the story is just getting started, but expect the next update in about a week! Also, check out Scrapbook (I'm updating it today as well). Have a great weekend! Let's not talk about Fairy Tail ending, ok? Okay. ;-;**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Y'all, I don't even know how this happened. I didn't plan for this, lmao, but ey, Sting is here to play.((((; Do you guys want a smut chapter with Lucy and him? LMAO. (Jk, but not really) Remember, this is a story with mature themes, and my Lucy is a bit different than canon Lucy. I'm a bit more realistic with characters and plots. Hope ya'll enjoy it anyway.**

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Lucy sighed, hanging her work apron up on its hook, and rubbed her shoulders. She was finally done with her last evening shift for the week. Although all she wanted to do was take off her heels and bra and lay down on her couch for hours, she changed into her workout clothes and tennis shoes. She couldn't slack on her routine, because she was constantly alert for any signs her father had found her. Living in constant apprehension and anxiety took its toll – leaving Lucy exhausted on most nights even on her days off, but somehow she managed to continue her studies. By focusing on long-term goals Lucy could manage the weight on her consciousness that attempted to deter her on her journey.

Most would liken it to an anchor chained to her leg as she struggled to remain afloat; however, no one had counted on Lucy being a strong swimmer in the torrents of her thoughts. Her resiliency and courage remained one her biggest assets, but she found herself racked by anxiety these days so she took it out in the gym.

Lucy took a water break, drinking sparsely to avoid cramping, and tightened her ponytail. She adjusted her fingerless gloves. Another feature of Sabertooth was the semi-private punching bag rooms they had. Well, rather, Lucy had asked if she could use a room rather than use it publicly. After spending the entire day surrounded by people in class and at the café, Lucy appreciated the moment of solitude.

She was about to resume listening to music and going through her exercises when a ruckus outside the room drew her attention. Apologizing mentally to Capricorn (her trainer from back home) for being distracted, she peeked outside. The first thing she saw was Sting's figure and then…she groaned – it was pinkie from the club. Apparently, clubs weren't the only place he sought to create trouble.

Lucy should have remained hidden in her room and ignored it, but she also hated her time at the gym being disrupted so she charged up to where pinkie and Sting where arguing. However, they begun to wrestle before she was halfway there. Minerva, the owner of Sabertooth, idly watched behind the counter and Rogue soon joined her. _This place is nuts._

Lucy had broken Capricorn's first lesson – _Never look away from your enemy –_ she mistakenly had looked away from the brawl and the brief distraction cost her. She bit her lip, holding back her yelp of surprise as pinkie slammed into her again. They laid awkwardly splayed on the ground – his face pressed against her cheek, and his knee digging into her stomach.

"Get off," she grunted.

"Oh," he exclaimed, "It's Luigi!"

Her head spinning and her abdomen complaining, Lucy snapped, "It's Lucy!"

Pinkie sat on the ground, eagerly taking in her features, "Were you working out? You don't seem like the type to work out. What do you do?"

Lucy's eyebrow twitched; had he forgotten he had slammed into her yet again?

Sting joined them, "Oi, Lucy! I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there!" He held out his hand to Lucy which she gratefully took. She gasped as a sharp pain hit her from her abdomen. Yep, she'd be bruised for a week or two.

Sting noticed her hand placement and barked for some ice to be brought over, "Shit, Lucy. Is your stomach okay? You bit your lip, too! Oh, shit. Minerva and Rogue will kill me. They love you, Luce. Shit."

Lucy wiped the trickle of blood off her lip, and smiled, "It's fine, Sting. Don't worry about it. Although, a month or two of free membership would be a nice compensation as well." She winked at Sting who smirked in response, "Consider it done, babe."

Lucy laughter was cut short by another wave of pain. _Man, this is going to be annoying._

Pinkie had gaped at the two of them, "Wait, wait. "Babe"? Lucy, are you dating this bonehead?!"

 _Oh, right. He was still there._ "No," Lucy said, helping Pinkie up, "He's a good friend of mine. I come here often."

Sting was a sweetheart who also happened to be good in bed. On occasion, they would meet outside the gym and hook up, but they had never discussed becoming anything more. However, when their trysts in bed ended, she was sure they would both remain good friends. Sting was a kindhearted man, but he was also a hot-head. Lucy saw his gentle, goofy, and fun-loving side all the time with his friends. He was also wicked intelligent; he was currently on track for a physics major with a concentration in optics and particles. He was in love with the light spectrum.

"You're friends with Gray, but you're still coming to Sabertooth?!" Pinkie yelled

He took hold of Lucy's hand, "What is that Ice princess doing?!" He began to run, dragging Lucy with him.

"Wait, what are you doing?!" Lucy struggled against Pinkie, straining against his forward motion towards the door

Pinkie looked back at her, grinning, "We're going to Fairy Tail."

All protests fizzled and died out; Lucy stared in awe at the boy's smile. It spoke of warmth, kindness, and utter trust. It brightened his face and like a moth attracted to light, Lucy found herself running with him.

She yelled an apology to Sting, "I'll stop for my things soon!"

 **XX**

After a few minutes of running, Lucy pulled Pinkie for a quick break, "Hey, Pinkie. Let's walk there."

Lucy didn't exactly want to arrive all sweaty and disheveled at Fairy Tail Gym. In all honesty, Fairy Tail Gym had been her goal but it retained an exclusive membership all year long. Only Fairy Tail University students could attain a membership to the gym. Levy, a student at Fairy Tail University, had attempted to get Lucy a membership but to no avail so Lucy settled for Sabertooth. Sabertooth, by its own right, was equally as ostentatious and up to scale as Fairy Tail therefore Lucy was quite content there, but who was she to deny an opportunity to go to _see_ Fairy Tail Gym from the inside?

"Pinkie?" Natsu questioned, looking up at his hair, "It's not pink. It's salmon."

Lucy shook a finger at him, "It's not salmon. It's rosy."

"Rosy?! I looked it up on Doogle. It's salmon," He argued.

"You got it wrong, then."

"Doogle is never wrong!" He insisted, pulling out his phone to prove it to her.

"Doogle is only as accurate as the user's abilities," Lucy laughed, pulling out her own phone to show _him_.

After comparing screens, he grumbled, "So maybe it is rosy…"

Sensing his pout, Lucy tapped his shoulder, "No matter the name of it, it's a very beautiful color and suits you very much."

He stared at her for a moment, and then his face lit up, "Thanks, Luigi! You're the first person to tell me that."

Lucy smiled, "You're wel—WAIT. It's Lucy!"

The look of guilt lasted a few seconds as he realized she had been referring to him as Pinkie, "Well, my name is Natsu!"

"Pinkie!"

"Luigi!"

They were silent for a few minutes until Fairy Tail Gym came into view and Natsu perked up, pulling Lucy along faster, "Come on, Lucy!"

And there was the smile again – the grin that shone bright like the sun – and when Natsu looked away from her, Lucy swore it was dimmer than before. It was then when Lucy decided she could be friends with Natsu even if his personality clashed with hers.

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 **Hi! Short chapter this week, but that's because the Fairy Tail Gym chapter will be kind of long because there's so much that needs to be introduced and happen...So I hope you enjoyed having a bit more Natsu in this chapter, but I also know that not much happened...Other than that tidbit about friends with benefits (with Sting, lmao). If there's something you want to see, lmk ahead of time! :D Have a great week! Hopefully, I'll upload again in a few days!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Fairy Tail doesn't belong to me.**

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Natsu kicked open the doors, "I'm back, Mira!" He marched right in, followed by an awe-struck Lucy. Unlike Sabertooth, Fairy Tail's color palette was bright and warm. Lucy looked around; they seemed to be in a dining hall, everyone had turned to look at Natsu and the newcomer. Wasn't this a gym? Where was the work-out equipment?

A white-haired lady, carrying a tray, came up to Natsu, "Natsu! Erza is furious you went to mess with Sabertooth before tonight's match!"

Natsu pouted, "I only repaid what they did to us last time."

Mira shook her finger at him, "Natsu, we don't resort to those tactics, and you know it."

Natsu clucked his tongue, dismissing her berating. Mira sighed and took notice of Lucy, "Hi, I'm Mira. Who are you?"

Lucy had been silent the entire time – too stunned to say anything. She was horrified she was standing in front of Mirajane Strauss – the worldwide famous model! She was beautiful, breath-taking beautiful. And here she was, in her sweaty work-out clothes with her messy ponytail…This was not how Lucy had wanted to meet Mirajane. Her cheeks were aflame and her fingers twitched nervously as she mumbled, "I'm Lucy."

Natsu, not noticing her dilemma, wrapped an arm around her and explained to Mira, "I found her at Sabertooth. She's Gray's friend. Can't be leaving a friend with those bastards, ya know?"

Mira's bright blue eyes looked Lucy up and down, she smiled, "Have you considered modeling? You have a very cute face, and your body is well-maintained. We'd love to have you come in at Strauss Modeling Inc."

If her face had been burning before, she was now steaming – Lucy was sure she was dreaming. _The_ Mirajane scouting _her_? Never in any of her dreams had she thought she would meet Mirajane much less have her scout her.

Mira leaned in closer, "You have very nice skin, too. What's your routine?"

It was too much. She was _too_ cool! Her heart couldn't handle it. The last thing she saw and heard was Mira exclaiming, "Oh!" as Lucy swooned.

 **XX**

"Hey, weirdo," someone prodded Lucy's cheek, "wake up, already."

Another voice reprimanded him, "Don't touch my patient!"

"You said she'd wake up in a few minutes, old lady! It's been twenty!"

"It varies from person to person. Your friend is sleep-deprived which might be the reason she slipped into sleep so easily."

Natsu groaned in annoyance, "Luigi, wake up. I have a lot left to show you!" He lightly shook her shoulder and the loose strap of her shirt fell off her shoulder revealing a scar right above her left breast just outside her sports bra. Natsu, not wanting to be classified as a pervert, quickly fixed her shirt, but what he had seen was burned in his mind. That was a scar from a penetrating wound…Whatever had stabbed her, he didn't know but he knew scars very well. He did have several of his own.

Lucy stirred, her eyelids flickering and her mouth twitching at the corners. She had heard some of Natsu's recent grumbling and whining, and – while she wouldn't admit it – she found it endearing. At any other time, she would have found it annoying and overbearing, but for someone who barely knew her to stay beside her waiting for her to wake up it was different. She found his concern sweet. It took all her muddled consciousness to keep from waking up laughing. It would have freaked them out seeing her wake up all of a sudden, laughing for no apparent reason. Lucy didn't need to have psychological evaluation any time soon – a dark image of her father broke through the wall she kept up, and she felt her heart quicken in fear. He wasn't here. He didn't know where she was. She was safe. She was safe. Safe.

Sometimes lying to oneself was the only way a mind could cope. Sometimes it was the only way to prevent someone's mind from breaking.

As soon as Natsu noticed Lucy had woken up somewhat he stood up, his hands on the bed – eager to show Fairy Tail to her, "Lucy!"

Lucy, who could no longer feign being asleep, sat up, "Hey."

Natsu grinned, but before he could snatch her away from the clinic, the pink-haired doctor slapped his hand away, "Behave, dragon. I need to do a few quick tests to make sure she'll be fine."

Lucy stared at the elder getting the vibe that if she misbehaved she would also be punished similarly as Natsu had. Porlyusica, she learned, was a retired doctor who came to Fairy Tail Gym's clinic to treat patients whenever she was called. She lived outside of Magnolia preferring the solitude of the woods and the company of wild animals. When asked why she refused to live in the city she bluntly said, "I hate humans. You all reek." Lucy took that as a signal to leave the clinic as soon as possible once she was done doing her checkup.

Before she left, however, Porlyusica gently said, "Come back later. I have a natural remedy that'll help you with your insomnia." Lucy turned back, staring at the truth in Porlyusica's eyes, and she nodded. It seemed other than being a skilled doctor she was also skilled at reading people.

Natsu pulled Lucy along, rushing her towards a set of doors on the opposite side of the entrance. Mirajane was nowhere to be seen and Lucy sighed in relief. How would she be able to face one of her idols after her spectacle?! The wooden doors weren't very special, but Lucy deduced the gym would be behind them since it was still called "Fairy Tail Gym".

She hesitated before Natsu opened the doors, "Wait! I don't have a membership t—"

He looked back at her, "Whaddya mean? Of course you do! We're friends after all."

When she questioned it further he just said he'd talk to Mira (who oversaw the building's accounts) and she had approved Lucy already. Lucy was confounded how could she have gotten a membership without being a student at Fairy Tail University. Then again, if Mirajane oversaw the gym then it made sense she could make an exception especially after asking Lucy to stop by her modeling agency.

The gym turned out to be of the same bright color palette – being a large open room with various exercise machines and weights. It had several hallways that led to separate rooms probably for classes or a private lesson. Lucy avidly took everything in, hoping to remember all of it so she could write the perfect description to her mother. Although it didn't outclass Sabertooth in the grandiose layout, Lucy immediately felt the comradery and amicable mood that hung in the room (besides the scent of sweat). It was an absolute delight.

Natsu had just finished explaining that there was a spa available for use when Erza walked n from the left hallway. Her eyes widened in surprise, "Lucy!"

Erza approached them, wearing metal breastplate all the way to the gauntlets. It was Heart Kreuz armor (they also had a more known clothes line). She wore a navy blue skirt with boots to accompany her armor. Odd choice, but who was Lucy to judge?

"I didn't know you were a Fairy Tail University student," Lucy said, before being smashed against Erza's breastplate in a crushing hug.

"I'm a third-year. I didn't know _you_ were a student either! Which is odd since I do manage student files quite frequently…"

Natsu, who hardly ever could stand being in the background, exclaimed, "You know Erza, Lucy?!"

Lucy nodded, "I know Erza for a few months now. I met her through Levy. I, however, am not a Fairy Tail University student." She addressed the latter to Erza, who had released her and was looking her up and down.

"That makes sense," She nodded to herself, "I do try to learn as many names as possible, and I had never stumbled across a 'Lucy'."

And before Lucy could blink Erza had Natsu in a chokehold, glaring down at the frightened male, "Natsu, I heard you went to cause trouble at Sabertooth today…"

Natsu struggled against her, "I didn't do anything!"

"Really? Because I heard you injured Lucy by throwing Sting at her."

Natsu sweat-dropped, "It was an accident! Plus, Sting was the one who threw _me_."

Lucy unconsciously touched the tender area on her abdomen and then her wounded lip. Erza took notice before Lucy noticed it herself, "Go get her some ice," she barked at Natsu who, surprisingly, said, "Yes, ma'am." And ran into the left hallway.

"You must forgive Natsu. He's hot-headed, brass, crude, loud," Erza shook her head, but then smiled, a mother's smile, "but he's a kind boy who means well. Loyal to a fault and as reckless as they come."

The look in Erza's eyes gave way to years of friendship and memories. Lucy hesitated before asking, "Are you and Natsu in a relationship?"

Erza looked incredulous for a moment and just as Lucy was going to apologize for the assumption, she doubled over in laughter, "No, no. We grew up together and we view each other as siblings."

Lucy blushed as Erza, unnecessarily if you asked her, added, "Natsu is a single as can be." She winked at Lucy before excusing herself. Apparently, she taught a sword handling class.

Lucy rushed off towards the right hallway – the hallway opposite of the one Natsu and Erza had disappeared to. Lucy huffed in frustrated embarrassment. Of course Erza had made the assumption that Lucy was interested in Natsu and therefore had asked about the specifics of their relationship. Lucy had forgotten Erza's tendency to jump to romantic conclusions. She meant no harm, of course, but it had been unexpected. Lucy had no plans of falling in love with a male any time soon. Engrossed in her thoughts, she missed the sound of a door opening and ran straight into a male's chest.

She grunted, immediately pushing herself off the man but she was held steady by the man an arm's length away, "Woah there, Lucy!"

Lucy's head snapped upwards away from the floor, her red cheeks in stark contrast to Gray's pale, cool face. He seemed unaffected by being half-naked in front of her with only a towel wrapped around his slim waist.

"You're like a deer caught in a headlight," Gray snickered

"Well," Lucy stuttered, "It's not like I expected to run into _you_ and, honestly, Gray, the indoor lighting makes your pale body bright as though I _actually_ was a deer staring at the bright lights coming towards me."

Gray has raised one eyebrow – amused at Lucy's rare discomposure – and, in a brief surge of confidence and perhaps wickedness, he pulled her closer until their noses touched, "I must be blinding now."

Lucy's eyes were giant saucers as her face turned beet red, however, her eyes narrowed slightly as she finally thought of how to spin the situation in her favor, "You know," she leaned towards Gray's ear, "I've always wondered what laid behind that towel."

Gray stumbled, releasing her, a faint blush coloring his ears. He coughed, "Alright, Luce, you win. I'm sorry."

He made to grab at his shirt's collar but realized he wasn't wearing one, "If you give me two minutes, I'll be back and fully clothed, ma'am."

Lucy smirked, "What if I like you with only the towel on?"

Gray's face went blank and he quickly disappeared behind the door he had appeared, slamming it close. Lucy held her laughter in for a few seconds and then doubled over, clutching her abdomen to ease the pain. It was too easy to mess with Gray. Tears spilled from her eyes as she leaned against the wall, trying to regain her breath, but every time she thought she had finally gotten over the look on Gray's face, she thought of it again and laughed. It was a face of pure embarrassment and as innocent as a child's look of surprise. Lucy had thought before that Gray's face looked younger when he smiled rather than scowling or smirking all the damn time. It was the first time she had seen such an expression and she found herself deviously wondering if she could uncover more equally amusing expressions.

Just as he had said he appeared in two minutes, dressed in blue jeans and a white t-shirt. It was casual enough, but Lucy thought she could smell a whiff of cologne. She quirked an eyebrow at him, "Cologne?"

"Perhaps." Gray answered, and rolled his eyes at Lucy's suggestive look. "It's not like that," he scoffed.

"Of course," Lucy answered, as they began to walk back to the main room, "Trying to be cool?"

"Trust me, I know it takes more than cologne to impress you, Philia." Gray rolled his eyes yet again, but there was a glint of amusement in his dark blue eyes. There was a darker hue of seriousness in his eyes, but Lucy ignored it. They were entering a dangerous territory that Lucy was not yet ready to explore so, naturally, she decided to change the topic.

She asked, looking away from Gray, "So, what are you up to here?"

"I go to Fairy Tail University," he shrugged, "and I come here every other day. I usually end with a trip to the sauna." He looked at Lucy expectantly, the hues in his eyes swirling in anticipation.

"I was dragged here by Natsu." She shared the day's events adding a comment here and there. Gray refrained from speaking until she was done, "Natsu's a clumsy idiot."

Lucy noted the warmth in his voice and added, " _That_ he is."

"Well," Gray stretched out his hand, "welcome to Fairy Tail."

Lucy shook his hand and they grinned at each other like a conspiring duo. Lucy made to say good-bye (she did have coursework to complete), but Gray held on to her, "You can't leave! It's Friday, Lucy."

"What's so special about Fridays here?" She questioned Gray but was answered by Natsu from behind.

"It's fight night!"

She turned in confusion, "Fight night?"

The serious expression Natsu put on hid nothing from Lucy – his eyes sparkled with excitement. He nodded, "And you're coming with us for your first fight night. It's a Fairy Tail specialty, duh."

And as much as Lucy knew she should go home to complete her homework and get ahead, she surprised herself as she nodded in concession. It had been a long time since she had punched something other than a punching bag and her body craved the adrenaline it had been denied.

"Well, let's go then."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Here it is...the start of the story! :D Hopefully this was alright. I'm still fleshing everything out. Thanks for the reviews/follows/favorites! :D Sorry about the delay! I've been reading a lot and I lose track of time! Look, as you can probably tell by now, I am such a sucker for a tough and independent Lucy. I want her to kick ass and to flaunt her sexuality. Okay~ Until next time! -Kass**


	5. Chapter 5: Fight Night

It was chaos incarnated. As soon as Gray, Natsu, and Lucy had walked down the stairs located inconspicuously behind a curtain, they had entered a crowded underground stadium. It was built of wood, and in the center laid a circular wooden platform with walls high enough to prevent anyone from jumping out. It was an underground coliseum. No one bothered to say hello; everyone was busy buying drinks from servers walking around with a tray. They drank, they sang, they yelled, they laughed. Their merriment was contagious, and, although, they were a trio, they had an easy time surfing through the crowd.

They made it to the bottom of the stairs and Natsu ushered them into a small room. He knocked on the wooden door in front of them and window appeared, "Password?"

Lucy had the sense of being stuck in one of the crime-time movies screened every Sunday. Natsu lifted the sleeve of his t-shirt to show a red tattoo that Lucy hadn't known he had. Then again, she hardly knew him. Similarly, Gray lifted his shirt to show a dark blue tattoo on his chest. How Lucy had missed that earlier, she didn't know. She blamed it on her hormones.

The brown eyes looked expectantly at her and she took a step back, shaking her head. Whatever those weird tattoos meant, Lucy didn't have one. She figured she'd wish both Gray and Natsu good luck and go take a seat upstairs, but Natsu slung an arm around her shoulders and grinned, "She's with us."

The person behind the door blinked and for a moment, Lucy thought she saw a twinkle in them. _Fairy Tail_ , she was coming to realize, _was full of weirdos._ However, she never said she minded weirdos. In fact, she felt very much comfortable with them. What that implied about herself, well, Lucy didn't really care.

Once they were let in, they were met with a grinning, slightly swaying, brown-haired woman – Cana.

"Cana!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Yo," she replied, hugging Lucy, "How's it going, Luce?"

"I didn't know you were a part of this!?"

Cana leaned in, her lips brushing against Lucy's ear, "Hot, sweaty bodies thrashing about on a platform? I think it's right up my alley, dontcha think?"

Lucy flushed at her implication, but grinned, "It might be right up my own alley as well."

The room they entered was a smaller version of the large dining room upstairs – several people sat around round wooden tables conversing as they expectedly looked at the clock next to the large flat screen (which Lucy assumed was used to view the matches while in this "waiting room"). No one turned to look at them which suited Lucy just fine. After her debacle earlier, she was content to blend into the background.

Mirajane, this time, stood behind a raised counter underneath the TV. She waved at them, winking at Lucy, and moved to serve drinks. Gray, thankfully, explained to Lucy this was indeed the waiting room for fighters. There was also a hallway that led to another clinic. The door to their left led to the arena, and the door beside the bar led to the visiting gym's waiting room.

"How does fight night work?" Lucy asked, sitting at a round table, sipping at her drink. _Not bad._

Gray, leaned back and glanced at Natsu, "There's two tournaments. One at the end of the season and one to start the season. Currently, we're wrapping up the season."

Natsu nodded and swallowed the food in his mouth, "Yeah! We have about eight gyms we have matches against. Tonight, we're up against Sabertooth's fighters! I'm in a tag team battle this time with Steel-brains." At this, Natsu pointed to himself with the same grin he had given her earlier.

Lucy smiled, "How are the matches decided?"

"There's a whole ranking system in place. Usually, new fighters, introduced in wild card matches, are subjected to an exam of a sorts to place them within their skill level. For example, we couldn't place a rookie versus Erza." Gray explained, absentmindedly swirling the ice in his cup.

"Therefore, I'm assuming, Erza is a skilled fighter?" Lucy ventured, easily accepting this piece of information because Erza did manage a weapon's store.

"Yep!" Natsu grinned, jumping out of his seat, "But I'm going to fight her one day and win!"

"Pipe it down, flame-brain," Gray shoved Natsu back onto his seat, "We don't fight within our own gyms until spring."

Lucy looked between the two, noting how they bickered like siblings most of the time, but they cared for one another. She began her next question carefully.

"How do newbies get selected for wild card matches?"

Gray raised an eyebrow, noting Lucy's feigned casual interest, but chose not to comment besides answering, "For Fairy Tail, at least, we have a one-year membership prerequisite before a person can apply to the exam."

 _Damn. There really was no quick way for her to get a quick fight._ Hiding her disappointment, Lucy hummed in acknowledgement, "Who's your wild card this year?"

Natsu shook his head, "We don't have one. None of our rookies were ready yet for Sabertooth's skill level."

"So there's a hierarchy within the eight gyms?"

"Yep," but before Natsu could finish answering a loud bang filled the room.

Lucy jumped, shocked at the casual manner Sting kicked the wooden door open, "Yo! Fairy Tail we demand compensation for one of your members' reckless actions at Sabertooth," he yelled.

Gone was the sweet male that Lucy knew, in his place was a calculating leader. _Funny. She always thought Minerva would have filled the position of a "cold leader"._

Natsu had stood up so quickly his chair had toppled back, but he held his tongue. _Interesting._

Mirajane was the one who answered Sting, "Of course. It is only due and _Fairy Tail_ pays what it _owes._ However, I believe negotiations are allowed in the rules."

"As expected," Sting smirked, his eyes searching the room, "I believe…" He trailed off, noticing Lucy for the first time. Shock flickered in his blue eyes, but the devious smile that followed had Lucy narrowing her eyes at him. _What are you planning, you asshole?_

"I want a wild card match," Sting proclaimed.

Mirajane was walking towards Sting, her eyes wide with feigned innocence, "We have no wild cards available. Perhaps adjusting the matchup of two matches would suit you better."

Sting chuckled and shook his head, "You do. I want Lucy Philia to fight our wild card."

Now it was Lucy's turn to abruptly stand up, "Sting, you asshole, you cannot be serious!" She knew her voice was shrill – it always was when she was unsettled – but she didn't care. She started to make her way towards Sting to knock him some sense into him, but then she stopped. Maybe this was her ticket in. She _had_ wanted to fight earlier.

"She's not a member of Fairy Tail," Mirajane supplied, deflating Lucy's hopes, but Sting had a counter.

"She is as of today, is she not? I know Dragneel dragged her here for that purpose. Whether or not it was consensual, I don't know seeing as to how she has been a loyal member of Sabertooth Gym for a few months now. I think Fairy Tail owes us a lot more than damage control, don't you think, Mira?"

Mira set her jaw, briefly glancing at Lucy before glaring at Natsu, "And Lucy fighting as our wild card would settle our debt?"

Sting cocked his head to the left, "Yeah, on one condition."

"And that is?"

"She will retain her membership at Sabertooth without Fairy Tail attempting to intervene. If she desires it so, she will have dual membership. Which gym she ultimately chooses to fight for, remains her decision." Sting winked at Lucy, letting her know he still remembered her need for control.

"I see," Mirajane again glanced at Lucy, "The only objection I have is that I don't know if Lucy can fight. I refuse to allow a defenseless person into the arena, not again."

Sting, again, laughed, "Oh trust me, Lucy knows how to fight alright. I wouldn't have suggested her otherwise."

Mirajane looked at Lucy for confirmation, "Mirajane, I can and will fight."

Sting clapped his hands in joy, "Then it's settled! See ya in the arena, babe."

Lucy rolled her eyes, but sent him a silent thank you to which he nodded before he left the room. Both Gray and Natsu had remained silent during the entire exchange, however, as soon as Sting retreated to his gym's waiting room they sprang to life, asking her if she truly did know how to fight.

"Yes, I can fight," Lucy shrugged off their concerns, not disclosing neither her fighting style nor how she learned.

Before they could ask her anymore questions, Mirajane approached the trio. She slapped the back of Natsu's head, but solely addressed Lucy, "I'd like to quickly go through the rules with you. I also need you fill out some forms for me." She beckoned Lucy to follow her.

 _Well, this certainly turned out positively for her!_

XX

Turns out there were lots of rules and lots of forms. It also turned out that the wild card matches were the second match of the night, right after last tournament's wild cards. Lucy should have felt frightened, but her body was thrumming with energy. Her upcoming fight sang to her bloodlust. Truly it had been too long since she had a sparring partner, not that this could count as a practice match, but Lucy was excited. She had confidence in her abilities – enough so that she knew she could hold her ground.

Also, Sting's insistence on Lucy meant that he also thought that their wild card and she were evenly matched. Sting would never openly attempt to harm Lucy – not if he wanted to keep his FWB status with her. The truth was that Lucy had mentioned her longing one night after one of their hook ups. It had slipped out by accident, but Sting had never used it to his advantage. This was his way of apologizing to Lucy for today's earlier incident.

Lucy, still wearing her gym attire, tightened her pony tail and adjusted her headband. Her match was starting in ten minutes. She had spent the last twenty minutes warming up, but now was the psyche part. Her opponent, known as Yukino, was also a melee fighter which boded well for Lucy.

At the bell signifying the end of the first match, Lucy made her way to the arena, dodging both Natsu and Gray's concerned looks. They made to follow her, but she shook her head at them – no need for hovering worrywarts. She was in it to win.

XX

Yukino, it turned out, was a pretty decent fighter. Lucy wiped the sweat of her brow, watching her opponent do the same a few meters away. However, Lucy had already gauged her opponent's weak side as well as a tick that told Lucy when she would feign and hit from the other side.

With one more exchange, Lucy was sure she could deal the winning blow. She smiled and approached Yukino, balancing her weight between her feet. With sudden action, they met halfway with a front kick. However, instead of meeting her again in the middle with her fists, Lucy dropped to the ground, quickly sweeping her left leg against Yukino's legs. Yukino yelped in surprised, but before she could react Lucy had wrapped her legs around Yukino's upper body in a triangle chokehold.

"It's been fun," Lucy panted, "but I'd appreciate it if you'd concede now."

Yukino shook her head so Lucy tightened her hold, "You're just prolonging it."

After a few more seconds, Yukino nodded and the referee called the match in Lucy's favor. Offering her hand to Yukino, Lucy felt the adrenaline of the fight merge with her joy. She raised her head, making eye-contact with Sting, who grinned at her like a fool, and she gave him a thumbs-up, throwing him a wink as well.

Natsu and Gray cheered for her – Natsu's whoop of celebration filling the air, but it was the heat behind Gray's stare that put a pause in Lucy's mirth. As she exited the arena with Yukino, an unfamiliar heat made its way down to her abdomen. Lucy shivered, remembering the intensity in Gray's dark eyes and the feel of his bare skin against her during their earlier encounter.

Oh, she might truly be fucked.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi. It's not abandoned. Sorry for the long wait!**


	6. Chapter 6: Friends

It was 8:07 A.M., yet Gray was still not here. Lucy frowned, but continued to frost the strawberry tarts. By 8:30 Lucy had given up hope that Gray would be stopping by. At 8:50 the bell rang, but instead of Gray it was Natsu that stood at the doorway. He scratched the back of his head, but he grinned at Lucy, "Yo!"

"Hey!" Lucy smiled, hiding her disappointment. "What brings you here?"

Natsu cleared his throat, choosing to look at the sweets on display than meet Lucy's gaze, "Well, I heard the strawberry milkshakes were delicious."

"Depends on who makes them," Lucy smirked. "But that's not why you came, is it?"

"Actually," Natsu pointed at a strawberry tart, "I'd like one of these and a small coffee, please."

As Lucy prepared his coffee, they made small talk, talking about their week and their classes. Natsu was part of Fairy Tail's engineering program and a biochem major.

"I never took you as a studious type," Lucy said, handing him his coffee and strawberry tart. "I would have taken you more as an athlete."

Natsu frowned, "I'm not a complete numbskull! I do have a brain, ya know."

Lucy laughed and turned to finish the strawberry tarts, but Natsu cleared his throat, "I was hoping you'd consider being my sparring partner."

The words were rushed, and he stumbled on them, but Lucy gaped at him, a flush creeping along her neck. No one had ever asked…Well, then again, she had never _had_ friends. Grinning, Lucy nodded, "I'd be honored." And she would. She had seen Natsu's tag-team battle with Gajeel. Noting his lithe and grace with rabid admiration. Gray had been an equally talented fighter, but his style, unlike Natsu, felt more…cold. Natsu had been a brilliant flame, his energy reached those around him. The thrill of the fight fueled Natsu's resolve. Gray had been good and he knew he was good. However, his fighting style had…disappointed Lucy. It was beautiful, but in a stoic manner. Natsu, though, he called to her inner self like a kindred spirit.

"Are you serious? That's great! I mean, I didn't expect you to say yes! I've been such a dork in front of you!" Natsu rambled, adding, "You were amazing, Luce! I knew as soon as you walked onto the arena that you were meant to be on it and that you were the partner I was looking for!"

At his candid confession, Lucy flushed and smiled again, "Thank you!" They chatted amiably for twenty more minutes, until the café's rush hour arrived. Lucy apologized to Natsu, but sent him off with her number, asking him to text her after her shift ended. Levy rushed in after Natsu, "Did I just see you giving Natsu your number?"

Noting her mischievous smile, I scolded her, "Don't start. It's nothing like that."

"I saw the way he looked at you in the arena," She leaned closer, "He only ever looks at fighters with that much excitement, but you're the first person he's approached to ask if they'd be his partner."

Lucy's previous blush threatened to return, "How di-," she was cut off by two customers entering the café, "Later," she pointed at Levy, and rushed to the counter.

XX

Lucy released a content sigh, rolling off Sting, and lying beside him. Recently, Sting and her had been meeting more frequently, spending longer hours together after having sex, both seemingly content with one another without romantic feelings. For Lucy, she found sexual release to be enjoyable, but Sting knew exactly how to please her, so it was a bit addicting. However, seeing as how they enjoyed a quiet friendship and mutual understanding without any expectations besides being mutually sexually exclusive until one of them wanted out. It was more about health concerns than jealousy. Besides, outside her major, Lucy was considering a physics minor and Sting had been very helpful, tutoring her and patiently staying up late with her on nights before an exam. He really was an intelligent, kind, and gentle man.

But the eyes she saw in her fantasies were dark, swirling with conniving mischief. His lips spoke of delight, promising to drive her to the edge before pulling back to tease her. Once their lips touched, she imagined it would be an instant chill, sending electricity down to her toes.

Lucy, however, was not prepared to leap off her makeshift raft into the rapids, because that was what Gray symbolized. He was an unknown variable – she couldn't predict where he would fit into her life should she pursue a relationship with him while she was on the run. To engage in a relationship as a runaway…so many unknown consequences. No, Lucy was not sure it was worth the risk, so she ignored her newborn butterflies for Gray. Besides, she hadn't heard from him since fight night.

Sting interrupted her thoughts, twirling some of her blonde locks in his hand, "What's on your mind, Lu?"

She glanced at the blond, noting the sheen of sweat covering his forehead, "Life."

"Anything in particular?" His bright blue eyes reflected sincerity – he truly cared about her and her response. Despite the warning bells in her subconscious, Lucy wanted to believe in his eyes. She wanted to – at least for a moment – believe she could lean on someone else. Believe she did not have to carry the burden by herself. Believe that her father would not be capable of hurting people she loved for the sake of destroying her until she was a hollow shell that followed his every order.

So, for one moment, while her soul was heavy and needing, she met his stare, and asked, "Stay the night?"

He blinked, surprise etching his face into a frown, "Lu, are you sure? I thought tha—"

She interrupted him, "I know what I said and now I am asking if you'd like to stay the night. Just tonight."

Perhaps it was her expression, her eyes, her voice, but he nodded.

"Okay," Sting nodded again, "Okay, I'll stay."

Smiling, Lucy turned to face him, laying an arm across his abdomen, "Are you feeling take-out? Because I'm starving."

"God, I thought you'd never ask. I was going to ransack your fridge," he laughed.

"Chinese?"

"Actually, I'm feeling Indian food tonight."

XX

"Lucy," Natsu whined, "Do we really have to meet at Sabertooth? You can use Fairy Tail's gym now!"

Lucy glanced back at Natsu, who was dragging his feet towards the gym's entrance, "Natsu, we agreed that we would alternate between gyms! Besides, the facilities are exactly the same quality."

"Lucy! That's not true! Sabertooth reeks," he objected, pinching his nose and sticking out his tongue.

After a few more minutes of arguing, Natsu caved, deciding he could put up with training at Sabertooth one time a week. Luckily for him, Sting wasn't manning the front desk so Lucy and Natsu were allowed in relatively easy after Lucy explained to Minerva the situation. Surprisingly, Lucy really was friends with them, because Minerva waved them in, saying it was no problem and to make sure Natsu didn't destroy anything.

"So," Natsu started after an hour of warm-ups and sparring, "When did you arrive in Magnolia?"

Lucy held a finger as she drank water. After swallowing, she answered, "I'd say a few months ago?" She motioned for him to help her stretch her arms.

Approaching her, he asked, "Why did you choose Magnolia?"

"Well," she held out her arm, "I heard of a famous gym and I wanted to try to join. Until two weeks ago, I had been pretty unsuccessful."

Natsu gently pulled her arm back until she nodded to stop, "I think you can safely say you've succeeded, huh?"

"Yep! But, I also found Sabertooth, and I don't want to leave this gym. I've found a familiar, welcoming, and comfortable place, so I don't think I will ever choose to leave willingly."

"I see. I'm guessing grabbing lunch after our session won't convince you, huh?" He frowned.

"If you pay for lunch, I might be convinced to go _to_ lunch with you." She laughed.

"Only if you beat me next round, which I doubt, because food is on the line." He backed away, hopping a bit to relax as he settled into his fighting stance.

She smirked, "Give me a moment. You'll be surprised." Natsu watched her tighten her ponytail and readjust her headband. When she caught his gaze, she smiled, her brown eyes twinkling with amusement. Instinctively, he grinned back, beckoning her closer, "Come at me, Luce."

"My pleasure."

XX

"Luce, I shit you not," Natsu laughed, "Gray's pale face turned white when he realized her had just dumped buckets of paint on Erza."

Holding her stomach, Lucy rolled with laughter, "I can't believe you convinced Erza to wear a pig onesie. I thought she would have murdered you!"

Natsu's subdued laughter reemerged and he struggled to answer her, "I don't know!"

"You're brilliant," Lucy coughed, reaching for water, "An absolute maniac."

He grinned, tugging at the scarf around his neck, "The only reason why Erza didn't murder me was because I brought her a piece of her favorite strawberry cake. That, and because Gray got the brunt of her punishment!"

They had gone to grab lunch at a local café, opting to sit outside under the gentle afternoon sun. They had already finished eating an hour ago, but they had remained seated, enjoying each other's company. Natsu was like a breath of fresh air; he drew out Lucy's smiles with ease. It was as though he placed a warm blanket around Lucy, melting her anxiety and stress about her father away.

After another half-hour of chatting amiably, they parted ways, but Natsu called back to her.

"Hey Luce," She turned around, looking towards Natsu on the other side of the street, "I think you're brilliant too." Pedestrians turned to look at Lucy, eyeing her and the pink bloke who, they assumed, was her embarrassing boyfriend.

Lucy blinked, feeling her blush rise to her cheeks, "You idiot!" She yelled back. He laughed and waved good-bye, resuming his walk home.

Throughout her walk home, her cheeks never once stopped burning. Right as she got home she received a text from Levy.

 ** _Hey Luce, we haven't had the chance to talk abut Natsu since he asked you to be his fighting partner. Are you free tonight? The girls want to go out to BP tonight. You up for it? I can stop by early to catch up before we leave!_**

 _Tonight? Sure! I'm game._

Maybe she could ask Levy if she knew if Gray was okay, because he hadn't responded to any of her messages for two weeks now. Natsu hadn't mentioned anything, so she wondered if Gray was just avoiding her for whatever reason. How she felt about it…Well, she hadn't allowed herself to think about that, but she knew it hurt.

"Gray, you jerk!" She huffed, heading to her shower. Shrugging off any thoughts about Gray, she let herself look forward to her night excursion.

XX

 **It's been a long time. I have not abandoned my stories. I will be back soon. This chapter was mostly filler, adding more depth (hopefully) to Lucy's relationships. Feedback is always appreciated and motivates me to post! Thanks everyone!**


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